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ASUMH unveils new logo

Joseph Price, MountainHome 4:23 p.m. CDT August 18, 2014

From left, freshmen Tanya Jones and Nick Wilhite, Sara Anderson, a sophomore, Briana Leonard, a freshman, and Michael Wehmeyer, a freshman, serve students and guests cake at the unveiling of Arkansas State University Mountain Home’s new log on Monday.
(Photo:
Joseph Price/The Baxter Bulletin
)

The new ASUMH incorporates the blue and green colors that have been used in previous logos.
(Photo:
Joseph Price/The Baxter Bulletin
)

Arkansas State University Mountain Home celebrated the unveiling of the college's new logo with cake and cold drinks Monday on the Keller Green at the campus.

"All the schools in the Arkansas State University system have had the same logo for more than a decade," said ASUMH Chancellor Robin Myers. "About three years ago, the system decided that they were going to embark on developing their own logo and also Jonesboro was going to develop a separate logo, and they asked each school to develop their own."

Myers said work on the new logo begain in June 2013. He said ASUMH made a decision in late March and the board adopted it in its May meeting.

"We abandoned the old logo," Myers said. "This is our version after a year-long process of working with Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing and people from our community, student body and staff."

Clear cups that changed to either blue or green were handed out during the unveiling, along with slices of a cake whose icing depicted the logo. The drink of the day was water, which was appropriate for the hot day that greeted students on the first day of classes.

"Initially, we reviewed all of the focus group information because there was a lot of insight from the business leaders and the people on campus," said Jodie Elizabeth Jeffrey of Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing.

“We think it represents the campus fabulously. The icon is a mix of architectural elements, an open book and an academic shield — so we've taken three elements to college and made them into one icon.”

Jodie Elizabeth Jeffrey, Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing

"We think it represents the campus fabulously," Jeffrey said. "The icon is a mix of architectural elements, an open book and an academic shield — so we've taken three elements to college and made them into one icon."

Jeffrey said they used that information and worked within the guidelines given to them by the main campus in Jonesboro. She said there was a 13-member committee of all ages.

"That made it particularly challenging," Jeffrey said. "Different ages have different ideas of what a logo and a brand should be."

Jeffrey said the first thing that had to be nailed down was the type styles and colors. After that, they started looking for designs.

"That went on over several months," Jeffrey said. "We finally reached an agreement we were proud of — it was a unanimous vote at the end."

Jeffrey said the new logo is not as limited as previous ones. She said that the new logo can be used both horizontally and vertically to fit in a variety of formats.

"It has immense flexibility," Jeffrey said.

"The blue and green represents our rivers, lakes and forests, which are very emblematic of our area," Myers said. "We also incorporated the shield and the copula from Roller Hall."

Even though it opened its doors in 1995, the school didn't get its first logo until the following year. The school's first logo, the "Trailblazers" logo, was introduced in 1996. The Trailblazer mascot was chosen to depct the school's pioneering spirit and future expansion.

When initial accreditation was granted to ASUMH in 2003, the Arkansas State University System's brand was adopted by the campus. The logo was similar to the main Arkansas State brand, using the torch in its logo, but retained the blue and green color scheme.

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Robin Myers, left, ASUMH Chancellor and Jodie Jeffrey of Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing, make the first cuts into the cake that was given to guests in celebration of the school’s new logo.
(Photo:
JOSEPH PRICE/BAXTER BULLETIN
)

"We think it represents the campus fabulously," Jeffrey said. "The icon is a mix of architectural elements, an open book and an academic shield — so we've taken three elements to college and made them into one icon."

Along with implementation of the new logo, branding standards also were issued to address the use of the logo, colors and brand image providing consistency and continuity for all internal and external materials.

Myers said one of the goals is to have people be able to recognize the log without the college's name being spelled out with it. He said he'd like it to be able to stand alone without text.

"We wanted to reinforce the idea of ASUMH to our constituency," Myers said. "When they see that image, they'll know it's us."